


Hero's and dragons 5

by Tak



Series: Hero's and Dragons [5]
Category: Oblivion - Fandom, Skyrim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2014-06-17
Packaged: 2018-02-05 00:53:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1799494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tak/pseuds/Tak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Politics and playtime.<br/>Palace life and palace restrictions.<br/>The girls and boys have to find their place in the kingdom.</p><p>A nice bit of fluff, and I managed to slip in a little cameo from my oblivion character.<br/>Blade the blade.<br/>No off to write the rest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hero's and dragons 5

The steward was not a man of fast movement.  
Leith stood next to Vilkas in the throne room, after forcefully following him. Their argument in the hall had been a childish one and they had all but resorted to slapping each other before he finally cow towed to her stubborn will.  
"You think you're Bildsfel's heir?" The steward began, giving each word equal time and emphasis. As he uncrossed and recrossed his legs in the throne. "You think you have what it takes to rule a kingdom, boy." The last word was a dig at Vilkas youth. Though passed the stewards thick beard it was hard to see what age he might be, Leith sensed there were years behind him, the slow movements from a man who had learned patience, and learned that sometimes you can wear a man down with silence and small words.  
"Not right away." Vilkas said eagerly, falling into his trap "I can learn, and it it's my..."  
Leith cut him off before he could finish "Actually my friend, the other elf and I, thought perhaps this humble man was of royal blood."  
"Humble?" He scoffed as if the notion was a joke. "Tell me Why should I entertain the idea that he, or his brother are in any way related to the lost monarchy?"  
"If I can interrupt?" Vilkas hazard.  
"He is humble," Leith continued over Vilkas neither steward or elf acknowledging the protests from the person in question. "Wiser than he lets on and a formidable warrior. He would give the kingdom back his back bone." She couldn't help stir the pot with a toothy grin.  
"You insolent little..."  
Laughter bubbled up and out of the little elf "Do you anger because I hurt your feelings or because I'm right? Test him! Get you best mages to work their blood magic you'll not be disappointed."  
Vilkas stood aghast at her behaviour, as if she had no shame nor care for the majesty of the situation. She was like a mad woman, picking fights with the steward of Bildsfel, as though he was nothing more that a lowly merchant.  
"Fine." The steward huffed. To Vilkas amazement while Leith twitched her eyebrows as if it was her plan all along.  
"I will have it done. Leave me." He punctuated it with a wave of the hand.  
The bounce in Leith step was all to obvious as she left pleased with her self.  
"Oh Vilkas." The steward called out before the young man could leave the door.  
"Were did you find this little spark?"  
"In a valley in Central Skyrim hunting trolls with a woman raised by giants." He answered simply. Allowing the oddity and majesty to speak for it's self.  
In a low voice the steward warned "Men are judged by the company they keep."  
A small smiled tugged at Vilkas face "Then I will never be judged as a boring man."

"Was that your scheme? Use his anger against him?" He crossed his arms and stood before the cheeky elf. An attempt to be stern but he was too impressed with her game.  
"You men are all the same. Ruled by your emotions." She scoffed leaning against the hall. Serious for a second she looked up "You know your king, well you and Farkas are the missing princes. He knew it the moment he saw you on the street. You could see him seething under his gold. He wasn't going to give you a minute in there."  
"So you bated him."  
"I gave him some one to hate more than you." She added.  
He shook his head "You took a political arrow for me."  
"That I did." she smiled, letting her casual demeanour slip just a little.  
Watching him as he mulled over the information.  
"You should check on Atty." He broke the silence, "Her wound was severe."  
Leith smirked "Let me tell you about Atty. She's unflappable, un-killable, and unbelievably stubborn. I've seen her walk off a broken leg."  
"You're exaggerating," he exclaimed  
"Bone was sticking right out of her."  
"No." He shook his head at her jokes. "I don't believe you."  
"Herders don't stop, migration must continue, those that stop are left behind."  
Vilkas caught a more solemn omission in her statement. "Is that what's going to happen to us? Once we're established you'll leave us here?"  
"That depends," she caught his eye for the first time "Do you believe Atty can walk ok a broken leg?"  
What does that mean?"  
"Leaving Farkas is going to break her heart." She sighed "I've known Atty thirteen years. We have walked from Dawnstar to Falkreath many times over. Not once has she lowered a blade before a human man she did not know."  
"And you?"  
"Well" she said slyly "I find it's easier to get what you want when you aren't pointing a weapon at a man."  
He chuckled as she seemed to change the subject to something more material, protecting the conversation from omissions of feeling, stopped as her face dropped.  
"Atty." She almost cried leaving her leaning post and running towards her friend. "Your suppose to be with the healer."  
The dark elf's sage grey was almost blue due to the lack of blood she was suffering. Her left hand covered and sticky from her own blood from when she was applying pressure before they got her to the palace. She saw Leith and stumbled towards her signing, her actions showed her frustration as she put as much effort as she could into making the circular symbol with her hand. Then a closed fist that rotated out from her face then tapped her right ear.  
The Bosmir tisked her friend and turned her back to the room she escaped from.  
"He is the healer, he doesn't have to listen to you." 

"I'm not touching her she could have broke my arm." He healer whined picking up the mess Atty had left as she fled from his office.  
"Please respect the skill it took for her not to not break it." Leith snapped helping Atty back onto the bed "You know how this woman got her wound? fighting draugr, she's not one to be trifled with."  
"Wait" he paused "This is from a draugr blade, Why did none say?" He quickly changed tact, and began to apply some different concoctions to the wound.  
Atty raised her hand and waved it. Then pointed at him closed her hand into a fist with her thumb and pinky sticking out and tapped her forehead with it.  
Leith sniggered agreeing quietly.  
"What's the difference?" Vilkas asked.  
Atty rummaged through her apothecary bag the healer had and pulled out a vile with an ominous scull on it.  
"Poisen." The healer confirmed "Their blades are often coated in any type of poised, from frost spider venom, to Nightshade"  
Nodding Atty pointed to her chest then tapped The arrows fletched with the red feathers near her quiver.  
Vilka's raised her quiver to the table she sat on. While the Healer worked.  
"The red are poisoned then, the black?  
She placed her free hand over her mouth and opened it. Making it look like sound coming out of her mouth  
"Scream? Like the ones that killed the trolls."  
She nodded, wincing as the healer lay hands on her shoulder. Her mouth opened like she was to protest, but no sound came out.  
"A testimony to your vow of silence." He snipped.  
Atty's eyes rolled so hard Vilkas' almost heard it.  
"What do you mean?" He asked, certain by now that Atty's silence was not by choice.  
"There's nothing physically wrong with her, so the silence must be a choice."  
Atty thumped on the table and glared at the healer. She did something Vilkas hadn't seen before she mouthed very slowly and very carefully 3 words.  
"I can't talk."  
Normally if a person is whispering or saying words with air leaving their mouth there's a hiss of breath, a clip of the consonance. There wasn't a single sound that left Atty's mouth.  
It left Vilkas a little unnerved until he saw that she had repeated the sign from earlier. Which judging by the context he figured she was refuting to the healers head having similar properties to a certain part of the male anatomy. When she saw him smile she wiggled her eyebrows. For once he at least understood what was going on.  
***

Days flew passed the girls and the boys, there were mages poking and prodding every inch of the young men to test their lineage with their blood magic. Their worth was proven, blood line established by more than a old hand maiden and the boys lives changed.  
Vilkas and Farka's were preened, every day there were women and men to dress them, clean them, wait on them hand and foot. Vilkas was taken to learn affairs of the state, Leith never leaving his side. Quenching her own curiosity for human politics as well as following Atty's advice for keeping a sound eye on not only the steward but every one in their service.  
Vilkas entertained by affairs of state, Farkas was left at a loss. He wasn't a fan of dinner parties, or books. He couldn't rouse a hunting party nor even a good job like when he was a companion. He was left walking halls or well tended garden whilst being talked at by officials. Atty was always near by, but she was made to feel less welcome in the palace than her Bosmir friend. So she sat quietly on the sidelines book in hand, making sure her charge was safe. Bolstering him with a smiles.

She met him in the hall after one long boring day. He stood looking out on the farmlands bathed the beginnings of moon light. She stood next to him her hands on the sill, she felt that call as well, The first time she had joined society. she never liked stone walls, there was no movement in it. He let out a heavy sigh and lent forward hanging his head between his arms, stretching his body out.  
"I haven't done anything in days!" He groaned. "I want to move, run fight anything. But they won't let me while I'm in the castle, and they won't let me leave."  
Spinning on her heal Atty looked back and forward, checking the halls though she was up to something.  
Snaffling up his hand she lead him down twists and turns in the hall, to parts he hadn't seen before. She tucked her fingers into an old crevasse pulling a secret panel out of the wall.  
He followed her down the dark halls. It was a tight passage, he held her tightly as the last traces of light left them behind. They reached an end and Atty pushed hard against the stone. It groaned and finally shifted releasing the pair into the sweet fresh wild air.  
She beamed looking back to him. As the realisation hit him, they were free. The castle above and behind them. They had the fields and the feral plains to themselves.  
She pointed to the castle crossed her arms then touched her eye.  
"You sure no one can see?" He queried following her line, she nodded fervently. Signing more to him.  
Farkas shook his head. "the wolf does yearn to run, but I'm a prince now."  
Atty frowned, but gave him a push. A person was never just one thing, and you can't squash all other aspects of yourself just to appease the masses. Farkas was a wolf, as much as he was a big, hairy sweet and gentle nord man. She nudged him again.  
"Your not afraid of the wolf?"  
Atty made the gesture of laughing and waved him off with a hand. Then planning them close to her her face with heir fingers pointing down.  
"I'm a pup." He grinned "of course you aren't scared. Well if you insist."  
She held up a finger before he began to transform. Licking her lips she stepped forward and gently unbuttoned the top of his tunic. He was entranced watching her nimble fingers slide the buttons out of their holes exposing his chest until he twigged to what she was meaning.  
"This is worth more than all my belongings back in Skyrim, your right I shouldn't rip it."  
Last button undone she pushed it back of his shoulders brushing his skin as she did so. She folded it carefully and tucked it safe inside the door and tunnel.  
She shooed him like one would a child reluctant to play. He shook the confides of his human flesh and let the fur ripple across his body. The wolf turned to Atty nuzzling her with his big snout. She ruffled his fur scratching him behind the ears before He turned and ran into the plain.

He was swift, agile, playful. Faster than Atty could dream of keeping up, yet she followed, her years of herding meant she could keep an eye on him no matter were he ran. It brought about an ache in her heart, a need for the nomadic lifestyle of the herder. With the pang of familiar pain came a whisper, a voice in her ear like wind through grass, like the breath of the ocean telling the shore of its adventures. Now she was alone away from the throngs of people she couldn't ignore it. She closed her eyes for a second, and let it part it's orders with her. Whispers from a mother to a family of obedient killers. To honour their father the god of dead.

Pausing and letting loose one final howl, Farkas stopped and transformed before a cave. Eagerly signalling for her to join in the investigation of its depths.  
Catching up leaving, orders and whispers behind, Atty leant into the cave peering into it's depths. She heard dripping, the sound of water splashing. Her hand lingered on Farkas' bicep she remembered she was unarmed, un armoured, and for all intent and purposes in the wilds again.  
"We should look. At least swim in the lake?" He beamed as he said, glowing with sweat and exertion.  
Touching her fingers to her hunting knife tucked into her back. She smiled the small piece of protection enough. She nodded.

The splash was almost instantaneous as Farkas sprinted for the cavernous lake. She followed him. Down into the icy depths. Further into the cavern. Nirn root shone their way to them as the paddled. There was no current, only dark depths and glittering cavern walks covered in moss that shone and bugs that glowed. They held each other watching the majesty of the cave. Quiet drips and splashes the only sound as the floated to the end of the underground river.  
Atty paused at the waters edge.  
Looking at the smooth wrought edge of the coffin. Her wet hand felt for a wet shoulder as Farkas pulled himself from the cool waters to join her.  
"What's wrong?" He asked following her line of incessant pointing.  
It was a grave site, Atty could tell that much, she knew the nords and imperials honoured their dead so trespassers were frowned upon, and restless spirits had a way of avenging disturbed tombs.  
She wiggled her fingers and pointed again.  
"Who is she?" He reiterated her question, walking cautiously towards the stone carving of a heavily armour clad woman, her hands clasped to her breast holding a mighty sword.  
"By Wuuthrud." He exclaimed "It can't be?"  
There was no plaque or grave stone to alert Atty to the woman's identity but as she peered under the helm she saw the distinct, almond eyes and pointed features of an elf.  
"You never heard of the Blade of Martin Septim?"  
She shook her head and approached the statue feeling oddly drawn to the woman. Her hands rested against the cool stone as she observed this woman's lonely tomb.  
"200 years ago Uriel Septim VII was being hunted by the Mythic Dawn. His 3 sons killed he was fleeing the kingdom when he came across her."  
Atty looked up at him eager for him to continue.  
"A lowly prisoner, that luck or fate threw into his path. She helped him flee the catacombs with his Blades but they were unsuccessful. With his dying breath he gave her the task of finding his remaining Bastard son, and gave her the amulet of kings."  
She urged him on with a rotation of her hands. For an elf to have such a prestigious burial despite being far underground now, she must have been more than and errand girl.  
"Martin Septim was a monk, a kind young man raised in a monastery. Taken from his simple life and pushed into the world of nobility and responsibility by a woman he hardly knew."  
Atty swallowed, as suddenly a few notes rung true in their relationship.  
"It was a rocky friendship to begin with, but she stayed by his side no matter what was said. Some say she stayed out of guilt, some say it was from greed, she only wanted to see him crowned so that she could take a cut of the finders fee."  
She pointed to Farkas.  
"What do I think?" He asked, a small blush reaching his cheek as he sat down on an old rickety chair.  
"She grew to love him, as he did with her."  
Taking an outstretched finger and thumb she brushed her chest twice.  
"Why? Because, as the story goes, despite oblivion gates opening and the Mythic dawn attempting to end his life she stayed with him. She rose up the ranks until she was the leader of his personal guards The Blades. Friends or not it takes love to risk that much for someone."  
Atty leaned against the stone she pointed to him then tapped her head signalled back to the stone woman and touched her heart.  
"They wouldn't have been able to acknowledge it if it had been love. She was a dark elf, he was a Septim."  
Her heart dropped through her feet as the parallels were drawn. She urged him on to find out what happened to the star crossed lovers.  
"Martin became the Avatar of Akatosh, fought the Dadric prince of destruction, and became stone."  
Her head snapped back to the stone carving, she placed her hand over the woman's. She was met with cold minerals.  
"She vanished right after the battle, no one could find her to thank her. Perhaps she came here."  
She was hoping for a happy ending, but she should have known better. Her eyes searched the ground because she couldn't look at Farkas. She heard the wood creak as he left the hair to stand before her. His hand lightly touched her chin to coax her eyes from the floor.  
"It's not like us at all." He whispered.  
She shook her head, hitting his bare chest with an open hand and again tapping her temple.  
"You're right I don't understand." He laughed and touched his forehead to Hers. Holding her close and tight. His skin was warm despite the chill of water. She nuzzled him back her fingers intertwining with his. He kissed her nose "And I don't care."


End file.
